


The Demon Prince

by xviichapters



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Bottom Yoon Jeonghan, Demons, Explicit Sexual Content, Joshua is a lil seductress, M/M, Mild Blood, Sentient Brands, Top Hong Jisoo | Joshua, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-01-08 15:40:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12257277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xviichapters/pseuds/xviichapters
Summary: Jeonghan is a demon prince who's a little out of his depth.





	1. Baby, It's Cold Outside

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this](http://joshsua.tumblr.com/post/161449723746/%E1%B4%85%E1%B4%87%E1%B4%8D%E1%B4%8F%C9%B4-%E1%B4%98%CA%80%C9%AA%C9%B4%E1%B4%84%E1%B4%87-%E1%B4%80%E1%B4%9C-%E1%B4%8A%C9%AA%CA%9C%E1%B4%80%C9%B4-for-jeongahn-my-sun-x) post. p.s. if you live-tweet while reading this, tag it with #SVT_DP so I can see your cute lil comments ^w^ ty~

They met in winter.

Him, with blonde hair falling into his eyes, lips chapped and slightly parted. And him, gaze wide and innocent but glimmering with mischief.

“Are you the famed demon prince?” the human asked, voice soft but echoing loudly in the vast emptiness.

Snow fell between them.

“Yes,” the blonde replied, “Are you afraid of me?”

“No,” the human proclaimed bravely. “But that girl is, I believe.”

Jeonghan had almost forgotten about the kill beneath him  _—_ or what was soon-to-be kill. Because suddenly there was something else much more delicious before him and it was not the whimpering girl clutched in his hands, bleeding to death with fear written all over her face.

The demon snapped up to look at the human.

“You’re Joshua,” the demon said, sifting through the thoughts in the other’s mind. His eyes raked the other up and down. “You’re beautiful.”

“And you’re prying.” The demon was suddenly cut off from the human’s thoughts and it absolutely delighted him. The girl was entirely forgotten now. He dropped her unceremoniously and flit over to Joshua, a wild grin splitting across his face. “You’ve been trained.”

Joshua simply shrugged.

That only delighted Jeonghan even more.

Jeonghan knew he was attractive  _—_ the number of seductions he had done was proof of that. But Joshua seemed unfazed. Though, Jeonghan thought, if he was here in front of him, then that must mean he sought Jeonghan out.

Jeonghan’s grin turned lecherous. “Were you looking for me, Joshua? Why would a pretty thing like you be out in this frightening cold?”

Again Joshua reflected an air of apathy. “Well I was sent out by the Mage to find his apprentice and bring her home.” The human gestured to the now dead girl. “But I was too late, it seems.” Joshua raised his eyes to look at the demon. “Maybe you would like some tea then, to get out of this cold?”

To say Jeonghan was surprised would be an understatement. “You’re inviting me? A demon? Into your home?”

“Why? Is that a problem?”

“You do know that means I can come inside your house anytime I like, right?”

Joshua grinned salaciously. “Of course.”

Then he turned around and headed down the path, seemingly not caring whether Jeonghan followed or not. Of course, Jeonghan did.

Joshua led him to a small cottage in the middle of the woods, tucked within tall trees and had a little garden in front. Snow blanketed the entire area. The door was open in invitation when Jeonghan arrived. Joshua was already inside, lighting lamps that gave off a soft glow through the windows.

Fire, Jeonghan’s element.

But why does it already feel like Jeonghan’s the one who would be getting burnt?

Carefully, the demon entered the human’s home. It looked just as cozy inside as it did on the outside. It was small, with a two-seater couch in the front and a giant hearth against one wall that led into the kitchen. Against the opposite wall, there were two doors, which presumably lead to the bathroom and bedroom respectively.

Joshua was by the fire, face lit up by the glow of the embers.

Jeonghan’s breath caught.

The thousand-year-old demon had seen many,  _many_ beautiful men. But for some unknown reason, no one came close to Joshua at this moment. With his face partly shrouded in shadows, Jeonghan could only see Joshua's silhouette  _—_  high nose, pretty lips and sharp jaw. Red sparks danced in his brown eyes as he stoked the flames. The human turned away from the fire and faced him, a small, mysterious smile on his face.

He held a tea tray between his fingers.

“Come sit,” he called to Jeonghan, placing the tray on a small round table where he probably had his meals. Jeonghan gravitated towards the human almost like he couldn’t stop himself. Who was he kidding? He  _couldn't_ stop himself. Was he being hexed?

Joshua smiled at him.

Only one way to find out.


	2. Under My Skin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> p.s. if you live-tweet while reading this, tag it with #SVT_DP so I can see your cute lil comments ^w^ ty~

His kisses were soft touches across Jeonghan’s skin.

“Joshua,” the demon managed to gasp before Joshua was stealing the breath from him, lips moving down his neck and across his shoulders, so gentle that Jeonghan was arching up, begging for more. Joshua smiled against his skin but didn’t press further. “Patience, my dear.”

Jeonghan made a small, indignant sound in the back of his throat  _—_ a sound he never knew he could make  _—_ but Joshua paid it no mind and continued touching him like something fragile, something that could break, fingers feather-light against Jeonghan's heated skin. They ran down his sides, chest, thighs. Pants, shirt, buckle. In a second they were off (though surely it must have been longer) and the demon was laid bare, stripped, in front of this human who was still fully clothed.

How did they get here? Jeonghan tried hard to remember, but Joshua's aura was making it difficult to think, thick and dark red, something like wine _—_

“ _Oh_ ,” Jeonghan gasped, both in response to Joshua’s ministrations on his crotch and the memory of what happened just minutes before all this.

 

* * *

 

“Do you like the tea?” Joshua asked, looking over the rim of his cup to eye at Jeonghan. The demon prince raised a brow, eyes flickering to his cup suspiciously. “It was alright. You didn’t spike it did you?”

Joshua’s laugh was like the tinkling of wind chimes and Jeonghan didn't want to, but he melted. Suspicion left him, replaced by curiosity.

“Of course not,” Joshua said and Jeonghan watched the way the human licked his lips after, quirking them up into a smirk. “Like what you see?”

“Are you openly flirting with me, Joshua Hong?”

The boy sighed. “Well I'm glad you realized. I’ve never had to try this hard to get someone’s attention before.”

“You’re trying to get my attention?”

“Of course,” Joshua smacked his lips. “It’s cold outside, Jeonghannie. I would like something warm in my bed.”

Jeonghan choked on non-existent words, watching on incredulously (and maybe a little helplessly) as Joshua got up and opened one of the cupboards, looking for all the world like he hadn’t just asked one of the most dangerous creatures in the realm to sleep with him.

“Would you like some wine for that cough, Jeonghannie?” Joshua bat his lashes, slow and subtle and there was a small voice in his mind that advised Jeonghan to leave, right now, but he was bound to his seat by curiosity and that gaze and was tempted into asking, “Why are you doing this? What’s your goal here?”

“I already told you.” Joshua returned after pouring himself a glass, boldly sitting in Jeonghan’s lap. He didn't miss the way the demon gulped involuntarily. The human grinned _—_ a little evil, a little mad _—_ and leaned forward so that his breath ghosted against the demon’s ear. “I want to fuck you.”

Jeonghan couldn’t help it  _—_ he laughed. “If anyone’s doing the fucking around here, it’s me.”

Joshua’s smirk didn’t falter. He took a sip of wine from the glass and licked his lips in a way that made sure Jeonghan was looking before leaning forward and kissing him.

It was deep and demanding, and Jeonghan parted easily beneath him both from the shock and the force of it. He tasted the wine on Joshua’s tongue as it explored the inside of his mouth and he moaned.

Joshua pulled away, satisfied. “You can’t tell me what to do, demon. I do as I please.”

Jeonghan was breathless. He wasn’t sure what to say to that. Joshua lifted the glass he was still holding and puts it to Jeonghan’s lips. The demon drank, though he knew he shouldn’t. Joshua pulled the glass away just as suddenly and then they were kissing again, tongues swirling the drink and spit like it was some new way of warming the wine and Joshua was sitting much,  _much_  too close to his crotch for comfort.

The human pulled back first, leaving Jeonghan dizzy. All he could comprehend was Joshua  _—_ Joshua's scent, Joshua's taste, Joshua's touch  _—_  intoxicating his senses, and he only vaguely noticed an empty glass floating quietly back to rest on the kitchen table before the said human was kissing him again.

At some point, Jeonghan lost his clothes and now we’re back to the start.

“Shua,” the demon whined, breathless, “Your clothes. _Please._ ”

Joshua pulled away without warning, eliciting another mewl from Jeonghan.

“What did you say?” he teased.

“Shua,” Jeonghan pleaded, “I need...”

“You called me Shua.” Joshua leaned forward, lips brushing against the demon’s ears. “It sounded pretty, angel. Call me that when I’m pounding into you later, hm?”

The promise of being fucked, and being fucked _hard_ had Jeonghan’s hips bucking up involuntarily. Joshua traced his jaw, rubbing small circles across his cheeks. He kissed Jeonghan softly. “So beautiful. Don’t worry angel, you’ll get what you deserve.”

Joshua got up slowly, languidly, making sure Jeonghan was watching, before undoing the knot on the front of his robe. The fabric slipped down his body to the ground, revealing long legs, milky skin and…

Oh wow.

The human was wearing absolutely _nothing_ else.

Outside in the cold, he’d only been clothed a thin cloak, so easy for Jeonghan to take but now… Here he was, big and beautiful and Jeonghan could do nothing but stare, powerless under Joshua’s intense gaze.

The human chuckled, knowing his power.

He strode forward, settling into the demon’s lap again. Joshua bit on Jeonghan’s bottom lip, making him moan. His hands guided Jeonghan’s legs around his hips and without warning, Joshua rolled his hips down. Jeonghan gasped breaking the kiss as the sensitive skin of his cock pressed against Joshua’s stomach. Jeonghan whined. Joshua grinned evilly. “I think we should speed things up, shouldn’t we?”

“Y-yeah _—_ ”

Jeonghan was suddenly on his feet, being pulled through one of the doors when he felt the back of his legs hit something hard and he fell onto a soft mattress. Joshua was on him in an instant, kissing him hot and deep before pushing him further up the bed on to his hands and knees. Jeonghan only whimpered, little-pleasured moans as Joshua started working his hole open – inserting one cold finger, and then another and then another.

One good thing about being a demon (and by default having an insatiable sex drive) was that he never needed any lubricant and that he had learnt to enjoy both fucking and being fucked. What he wasn’t used to, however, was being _overpowered._

But with Joshua kissing up his spine, warm hands and hot breath whispering gentle reassurances into his skin even as he continued to open him up, Jeonghan felt safe surrendering to him, letting the pleasure set every single one of his nerves on fire. Jeonghan wasn't sure how a mere human could have such an effect on him, the  _demon prince_ no less, but it was clear who was in control here and it wasn’t him.

“Are you ready, angel?” Jeonghan nodded frantically, wanting to just get _off_ already. He could feel a thickness across his crack and he shuddered. He rolled his hips back, making Joshua laugh.

“Patience angel,” Joshua cooed, “Patience.”

“I _—_ I want more.”

Joshua grinned and inserted another finger. He was four fingers in, knuckles deep and Jeonghan was a mess.

“ _No—y-you…_ ” Jeonghan cried, “I want you  _—_ _ah —_  inside… me.”

“What was that?”

“Please Shua. _Please_.”

Just as suddenly the fingers were gone and then Joshua slammed into him. “Yes–yes!” Jeonghan keened. His arms gave way beneath him from the sudden force, falling face flat on the pillows as Joshua pounded into him. “S-shu–”

It’s a minute before he finds the right spot, and when he does Jeonghan _screams._

“Did I find it? The place that makes you go wild?” The human sounded infinitely pleased and Jeonghan couldn’t do anything but moan, high-pitched and animalistic as Joshua somehow managed to hit his prostate time and time again.

He wasn’t going to last long, he knew it. Not when Joshua kept going deeper, fingers digging into his hips as he thrust relentlessly into him. Not when his own cock was rucking angrily into the rough sheets, red-hot friction driving him wild. Not when, even as he was going to town on Jeonghan’s asshole, Joshua kept praising him, reverent words of encouragement making him hot all over and keeping his mind off any of the pain.

“You’re beautiful angel, so gorgeous,” Joshua purred in time to Jeonghan’s breathy whimpers, “So good to me. Taking it so well.”

Jeonghan tightened up around him and that was all it took. Joshua released with a hiss and Jeonghan followed right after, rocking together in an uncoordinated harmony as they rode out their pleasure.

Jeonghan was unprepared for the sudden drain of energy.

Jeonghan groped blindly, senses cut off and verging on panic but then Joshua was there by his side, warm and radiating power and Jeonghan clung to that until his heartbeat steadied and his vision returned to normal before gradually fading back to black.

He faintly heard Joshua laugh.

“Stupid prince,” the human chuckled, “A Feeder? Imagine that? The prince, a Feeder?”

If Jeonghan was conscious maybe he would have something smart to say to about that. After all, his friends had given him a lot of grief for it and he was well-prepared to defend his stance.  But as it was he wasn’t conscious and Joshua could only look fondly as the man slept on, face serene and calm.

What they had just done was stupid of the both of them, Joshua knew. He wasn’t even really sure why he did it, other than because… Well, it had happened and there was nothing he could do about it, even if he wanted to. (Which, he didn’t. Not yet.)

He pulled the demon closer to him, placing a kiss on his forehead. “Sleep well, my prince. I will see you tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually wrote smut for the first time? What? The? Fuck? I'm sorry if it sucks???? I don't know why this chapter is just sex but it is???? There is character development in the future, that's why the number of chapters got longer and I changed the name of the fic... Hmm... >> We'll see.


	3. My Angel Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> p.s. if you live-tweet while reading this, tag it with #SVT_DP so I can see your cute lil comments ^w^ ty~

The next morning Jeonghan woke up to the sight of Joshua, watching him with a smirk on his lips.

“Good morning,” the human greeted.

“Good morning,” Jeonghan returned. Joshua pushed a piece of his hair out of his eyes, and the moment is almost… tender. Jeonghan faked a cough and broke it.

“I should probably get going,” he added, sitting up and gathering all his clothes. Joshua didn’t look away as he dressed, staring unashamed, and Jeonghan wasn’t sure whether he liked the bubbling feeling simmering in his gut. It felt warm and a little dangerous.

“Do you want some breakfast?”

Jeonghan gave him a look. “Demons don’t eat, Joshua. I’m sure you know this.” _Anything other than blood, sex, and/or energy that is._

The boy shrugged. “At least I tried.”

Jeonghan was expecting a punchline _—_ something like a “haha, just kidding, you can’t go, you’re an evil demon and I’m supposed to trap you” _—_ but it never came. Joshua walked him to the door and waited patiently as he pulled his shoes on (because yes, even demons wear shoes and even demons can’t simply put them on by snapping their fingers).

The moment was almost domestic. The way Joshua leaned against the doorframe, eyes still sleepy, mouth still curved into a smirk, arms crossed casually against his chest… it almost made Jeonghan want to stay. It almost made Jeonghan want another night.

“So that’s it?” Jeonghan prodded, just to prolong the time. “You’re just going to let me walk free?”

Joshua shrugged. “Would you rather I put a binding spell on you and call my master to come pick you up?”

Aha! “So you _were_ planning on capturing me!”

Jeonghan wasn’t sure why he was so happy about confirming the human’s intentions so belatedly. He had been so vulnerable last night ~~.~~ At any moment Joshua could’ve cast a spell _—_ while he was sleeping, just now right before he woke, _when they were joined as one_ _—_ and he would’ve been powerless to stop it. “But why are you letting me go?”

Joshua shrugged again. “Maybe I don’t want you bound to my master. Maybe I want you bound to me.”

Jeonghan burst out laughing only to realize Joshua was dead serious. His piercing gaze sent a chill down Jeonghan’s back. The demon got to his feet, determined not to be stared down at in this situation. It was almost eerie how perfectly identical in height they were.

“I think it’s better if you go far away from here after this, Jeonghan,” Joshua murmured, “I don’t think I could simply let you go the next time.”

Jeonghan shivered but fought to keep cool. “What if I want to come back?”

Joshua arched a brow. “After what I told you?”

“Not to offend you, but you don’t seem like you have the strength to keep me tied up against my own will, either physically or with the help of magic.”

At that, Joshua threw his head back to bark a short laugh. “That didn’t seem the case last night.” His smirk only widened when Jeonghan coloured slightly. “And besides, it’s not just me you have to be wary of Hannie. The townsfolk are still on the lookout for you.”

“ _They’re_ nothing to worry about,” Jeonghan scoffed, ignoring the newly given pet name. (He couldn’t say he didn’t like it, however.)

“Beware the Magician.”

“My people taught the magicians what they know.” Jeonghan sniffed a little prideful, crossing his arm in defiance. Joshua only smirked. “I’ll come and go as I please and no pitchfork-wielding townsman, not even _you,_ Joshua Hong, can tell a demon prince what to do.”

Joshua looked more amused than anything and that irked Jeonghan slightly.

“Alright then. I’ll see you soon.”

“You will,” Jeonghan affirmed. _Except not tomorrow because then you would be expecting it._

 _Tomorrow’s tomorrow then._ Jeonghan whipped back around angrily. “Those were private thoughts.”

“You seem alright with poking and prodding other people’s minds. Why can’t I?”

Jeonghan had no answer to that so instead, he chose to turn into dust and make his grand exit. Joshua only chuckled, walking back into his house.

Maybe inviting a demon inside wasn’t the best idea he ever had, and letting said demon free after specific instructions to trap him by all means necessary was an even worse idea. Still, Joshua realized he was anticipating the demon prince’s next visit already and thinking up of… interesting things they could do together.

In the meantime, he would work on the special binding spell the Mage had him designing and concocting up an elaborate tale as to how the demon prince got away.

 

* * *

 

“You’re a fool, Yoon Jeonghan. A damn fool.”

Jeonghan rolled his eyes at his friend’s dramatics, choosing to ignore one of his four associates and returned back to his reading instead. It was dry stuff, demon politics, but it was still better than the nagging he knew he would receive if he gave the other demon any attention.

Still, that didn’t deter Jun from going off anyway.

“You’re a Feeder, Han, a _Feeder.”_ He’s got that worried mother-face on, flapping his arms around frantically. “You’re so vulnerable after sex and yet you let yourself fall asleep next to a human? A _witch_ no less?”

“Just because I’m a Feeder doesn’t mean I’m helpless, hyung,” Jeonghan retorted, crossing his arms.

“You are helpless you idiot.” Wonwoo suddenly materialized next to him, flicking his forehead _—_ _“Hey!”_ _—_ “You literally _give away_ all your energy after cumming. How you’re in the royal family and _not_ an Eater is beyond me, but it is what it is and it’s _us_ who has to make sure you’re safe, Han.”

“I’m not a _child_ _—_ _”_

“But you are the next King,” Minghao interjected, bursting through the door and _really_ what does a guy have to do to get some peace and quiet around here? “The next ruler of this realm and as your advisors, we’re supposed to _advise_ you _not_ to do stupid things like sleep with human witches.”

“You’re not my advisors yet,” Jeonghan scrunched his nose. “And besides, you all act like you haven’t had your own fair share of human sexcapades. Even those who _are_ witches.”

The three shared an exasperated look. “Again, Jeonghan, we’re not you.”

“And in three months, we’ll never be you!”

“Holy Hades, is e _veryone_ going to be in here now?” Jeonghan complained, just as Wonwoo muttered, “Mingyu that doesn’t even make any sense.”

The fourth intruder, the gigantic, gangly mutt known as Kim Mingyu, was all bright eyes and grins despite the varying looks of disapproval he was getting from the other four in the room. He took a deep breath. “I have news.”

“And let me guess, you’re not going tell us until we beg at your feet to or you burst yourself from having to keep it all in.” Mingyu blinked, then pouted. That was all the confirmation Jeonghan needed. “I’ll wait for you to burst.”

Mingyu started whining like a kicked pup and really, _really_ it’s _disgusting_ how his three other friends slowly broke down and indulged him in kisses to shut him up. Is _this_ what love was like? It looked _horrifying._

“Are we done now?” Jeonghan interjected when the affections had gone on for long enough, “Got enough kisses to satisfy your needy little heart? Want a hug from me too?”

“Eww gross no.” Mingyu scrunched his nose in disgust. “No offence, Jeonghan-hyung, but you smell _awful.”_

“That’s ‘cause he’s been sleeping with a witch.” Jun glared at Jeonghan pointedly. “Which he would not be doing ever again, thank you very much.”

Jeonghan decided to leave out the part where he promised Joshua he would return. The promises of demons were binding and came with terrible consequences if broken.

“Anyway the reason I’m here.” Mingyu’s voice turned serious. “Hyung, your father’s been asking whether you’ve made your choice yet. He wants his answer by next month or your coronation will be cancelled.”

Jeonghan growled. “I don’t see why I can’t ascend the throne without getting married.”

All four men let out exasperated sighs. “Han, we’ve been through this. You _must_ have a partner before you can be king.”

“Why do I need one?”

Jun’s face is pained. “You just have to, okay?”

“Nope, I still don’t see the point.” Jeonghan was well aware of how immature he was being but he could only get like this amongst his friends so he took every opportunity he got to be a bit unreasonable. It wasn’t even the fact that he had to get married that irked him the most – it was the fact that he had no _choice._ Or at least, had very _little_ choice as to who could be his partner.

“Alright let’s go through the list again shall we?” Mingyu prompted, trying to keep positive. “There must be _someone_ out of the five candidates that you like?”

Right, the five candidates; each an heir to the five great demon families – one of whom he would eventually have to marry and rule the demon world with. Jeonghan scrunched his nose in disgust. He had known all five of them since they were children; when everyone was snotty, bratty and annoying. It wasn’t that he hated them (well, at least not all of them) but he’d known them for so long that they were practically siblings to him, and the thought of having to marry (and subsequently _bed_ ) one of them was incredibly unappealing.

“First we have Choi Seungcheol…”

Ah, Seungcheol; doe-eyed, raven-haired, more wolf cub than demon and the only one older than he was. Son of the Terrenes, demons of the Earth, was kind and fair, but _too much_ like a puppy, too clingy, for Jeonghan to imagine living any number of centuries with. Besides, Jeonghan was quite sure the older was crushing hard on another demon heir, Lee Jihoon, and Jeonghan told his friends as much.

Minghao huffed. “Alright, what about Lee Seokmin?”

Too bright, too happy, too sunshiny to be a demon and too tiring for Jeonghan. Also, he only saw him as a brother.

“Lee Jihoon?” Wonwoo tried.

“Did you not hear what I said about Seungcheol? The Terrene likes him.”

“That doesn’t mean Jihoon likes him back.”

“Oh he does. Trust me.”

“Fine, what about Kwon Soonyoung?”

Jeonghan’s face soured. “No.”

“Im Nayoung?”

“Eww no, she’s a _girl.”_

“Jeonghan!”

“What!” the prince scowled at his four friends. “I’ve already told you; none of them appeal to me and I don’t want to marry any of them.”

Junhui sighed, exasperated. “Then who would you want to marry then?”

Jeonghan’s thoughts immediately jumped to the human he had left just hours ago, and just as quickly he realized how inappropriate it would be if his friends saw what he was thinking about, but he was too late to shutter his mind and a second later all four boys were staring at him with a mixture of shock and anger.

“No, Yoon Jeonghan, absolutely not!” Jun scolded, just as Mingyu yelled, “Are you crazy!”

Wonwoo just glared at him disapprovingly and Minghao seemed like he wanted to say something scathing, but was holding it back.

Jun ranted on. “Jeonghan you _know_ what happened to the last demon who ran off with a human, a _witch_ –”

“I _know,”_ Jeonghan huffed, getting up from the couch and brushing past his friends, “I’m not an idiot. I’ve studied both human and demon history–”

“Then why?” All four were on his tail.

“It was just a fleeting thought, I wasn’t serious.”

“No, you were. You really like him,” Wonwoo said, and it’s a statement.

“So what if I do?”

“No, you don’t get it Jeonghan. You really _like_ him.” Minghao grabbed his shoulders, stopping him in his tracks. “You’re thinking of going back.”

His silence spoke for him.

“Jeonghan, you can’t!” Jun wailed, already working his way up to full-on mother mode. “He’s a witch! And you’re a Feeder!”

Really, Jun didn’t have to repeat what he already knew. “You’re at zero percent after sex and you know it and he knows it, and you still want to go _back_?”

“He won’t hurt me.”

Minghao stared, agape. “How can you say that?”

“Because he won’t.”

“He’s a _witch—"_

“But also human, and no human has ever stood a chance against our kind.”

The blatant lie rang throughout the room. But Jeonghan was part of the royal family and so maybe it was to be expected, for royalty have always possessed the terrible habit of lying to themselves.

Minghao’s eyes were burning cold. “That is not what happened to Lord Empyreal.”

The Demon of Fire; the one who fell. Jeonghan’s eyes turned to steel. He would not turn out like that man.

With one last glare, he snapped his fingers and disappeared.

 

* * *

 

True to his word, Jeonghan visited two days later, appearing as suddenly as the blizzard storm that whipped through the tiny village and forced Joshua under the covers of his bed. Not out of fear – no. But for the warmth.

Jeonghan found him swathed in at least four layers of blankets, an angry frown between his brows as he stared cruelly at the shutters that rattled with the wind. The hearth was large and crackling, baking the room like a furnace and yet Joshua still didn’t seem satisfied.

“Stop staring at the window like that, love,” Jeonghan murmured, amused, “It won’t stop the wind from blowing.”

Joshua sat up immediately and pulled the demon onto the bed, straddling his hips. “You’re late,” Joshua accused, immediately biting down on a sensitive spot on the demon’s neck, making him gasp.

Jeonghan was already breathless. “I _—_ never said what time _._ ”

“You made me _wait_ for you, Yoon Jeonghan. I never have to wait for _anything.”_ Jeonghan’s breathy chuckle is cut off when Joshua started a vicious trail of love bites down his throat, across his shoulders, over his hastily unbuttoned chest. He was harsher this time, hungry _—_ _for what? Warmth?_ _—_ but Jeonghan let him take everything, moaning occasionally and gasping out the softest of whimpers when Joshua breached him.

The human loved it _—_ loved having power over a being so powerful. They ride the waves, one, two, three more times until Jeonghan was completely spent, pliant and boneless in his arms, and Joshua kissed his tears away, saying he’s been absolutely wonderful, “My perfect angel, so good to me.”

He tugged the demon closer, the night no longer so cold, and let him regain the energy he had lost.

The next morning Joshua offers to make breakfast, and again Jeonghan declines.

They kiss and Jeonghan leaves before the Sun is up.

The days trudge into winter proper and Joshua is constantly cold, constantly hungry for that unknown feeling but Jeonghan comes like clockwork to warm his bed, his body, his soul.

“My lovely angel,” Joshua would whisper, soft and sweet, and it made Jeonghan want to be everything this human needed. “My angel love, my angel life, my angel mine.”

The deadline for his father’s ultimatum hung over him like a noose, but held like this in Joshua’s arms, Jeonghan knew there was no other place he would rather be. He could leave it all behind _—_ the throne, the crown, the world where he was born _—_ if only Joshua asked.

He had asked, tentatively one night, when he wasn’t too tired and Joshua had been more tender than rough, still tracing circles into the small of his back, “Do you love me?”

Jeonghan’s voice was soft and low, and he wasn’t sure if the boy heard. But then he heard the human's heartbeat pick up from where he was laying against his chest, and he knew Joshua had. Their eyes met, and there were tears in Joshua’s. “Do you even have to ask, my angel?”

“Do you?” Jeonghan pressed.

“I do. Of course I do.” Joshua pulled him impossibly close, burying his face in his hair and it’s like a heavy weight was lifted off his chest. “Yoon Jeonghan, I am _so_ in love with you.”

He laughed and felt wetness on his own cheeks. “Me too,” Jeonghan said, in-between the kisses Joshua peppered across his face, “I’m in love with you, too.”

“My angel.”

“Mine.”


	4. Demon Child

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, tag #SVT_DP in your tweets if you're gonna live-tweet!!! _More smut ahead._

Their ignorant bliss didn’t last forever, as things like these seldom do.

The final time Jeonghan came to Joshua’s door, the boy was already there, waiting for him. There was a panic in his eyes that Jeonghan had never seen before.

The demon’s immediate instinct was to protect him. “What’s wrong love? What happened?”

“They’ve found me.” Joshua tugged his lover into the house, locking the door behind them with a flick of his wrist. He frantically ran around the room tossing things into a small satchel that was probably deeper than it really was.

Jeonghan had always been impressed by his lover’s magic. But it was at times like this that Joshua’s power scared him, truly made him fear for his fragile immortality, with the way the house shook with the human’s agitation.

“Who’s found you? Joshua, tell me.” Jeonghan attempted to stop the boy but he just breezed past him, throwing a ton of books into the bag.

“There’s no time,” Joshua’s voice is high-strung, panicked. “I have to get out of here. I need— I need—” He turned to look at Jeonghan with something akin to distraught, “I need your help, prince.”

Jeonghan would have helped him anyway, that much he knew if all their nights together had meant anything. Joshua made him feel like no other. And no one, not a single speck of dust in the air, was allowed to hurt his lover. “Whatever you need, Shua, I’ll do it.”

“Bring me home,” Joshua said, “Bring me back to the demon world.”

“Home? What are you—”

Suddenly the room started shuddering even more violently than it had before from Joshua’s own doing. Someone was trying to break the protective charms Joshua had put around his house and the instinct to grab the human and run was stronger than ever.

“COME OUT YOU DEMON CHILD, COME OUT AND TAKE YOUR PUNISHMENT LIKE YOU DESERVE!”

 _Demon child…?_ Jeonghan’s eyes flickered back to Joshua. The human’s face reflected wild-eyed panic. “Please Jeonghan. Please, you have to bring me there. Bring me back.” The satchel was already strapped to his back, canvas hood too large and falling over his eyes.

Joshua had never looked so young.

“Of course, my love,” Jeonghan wrapped an arm around the boy’s shoulder, “For you, anything.”

And then they were bursting through the aether and into the demon world.

 

* * *

 

Demons have circles lining their back — brands — that tell of their family lineage, their specialities, and their powers.

Jeonghan has the brands of all the families engraved into his skin, including the mark of the royal family, because he is the prince, and when he ascends the throne he would get the mark of the king across his chest, just like his father’s.

Joshua had quite enjoyed tracing those circles, the way they curled into each other, connecting all five families in a pseudo-familiar pattern but never the same each time. The brands were sentient, changing as the families do, and with families as big as demons’, new additions and new powers (new deaths) were learnt every day.

Sometimes, when Jeonghan was asleep, all the power sapped from him after their nightly bout of rough love-making, Joshua would watch the brands in the dim candlelight as they swirled and changed. The Aerialites, the demons of the air, shifted more than the others did, while Heliophobes — those of the dark — he was never able to see. He had watched a birthing once, right there on Jeonghan’s right shoulder. A baby succubus being celebrated around its family, beautiful and charming, its wings a crescent blue as it sliced the throat of its first woodland animal and thus declaring itself to be a plasmous, an eater of blood.

There was one brand though, that Joshua found the most fascinating. It was charred and unmoving, right above the dimples on Jeonghan’s back, and when he brushed it, the demon would always shiver. Joshua would trace its perimeter, where roots that normally twisted and turned, forming shapes, were now chopped, jagged remains that grew out from the circle and reached out to nothing. He could see where they had once been linked to the other families. But something must have happened to them and now, the demon family of Fire was nothing.

On Jeonghan’s back, Joshua watched the world he never got to experience grow and thrive.

 _You’ll see it one day,_ he remembered his father murmuring, when he was just a little baby, _I’ll bring you here when you’re a little older and then you can eat jewels off the trees._

His father had been caught in a hunt, hung by the neck in the square and beaten to death for everyone to see.

His mother took him away, cast a spell to hide his demon brands and raised him a witch.

Ten years later, she’s murdered, cast out by her own coven for her supposed crimes and Joshua wished every night to return to the home of his father, of which he’d heard thousands of stories about.

But the brands wouldn’t return, couldn’t reappear no matter how hard he tried and he was stuck in the human world, half a witch, half something else, and fully at the mercy of the Mages of whom had once been fond of the sad, misguided witch-girl and her equally broken son.

By the time he outgrew the age of wishing on stars, Joshua had been fully prepared to never see the world of jewels and live a safe but miserable life within the confines of the tiny village, a powerful witch but nothing more, until Yoon Jeonghan came into the picture.

Jeonghan whom he’d lured into his bed for fun, but stayed for love. Jeonghan, who was now bringing him home.

He didn’t realize he was crying until he felt a cold hand on his cheeks and fingers caressing the tears away. He looked up into Jeonghan’s face and found in it, love. “We’re here, love,” Jeonghan said, “Welcome to the land of the demons.”

Joshua took a deep breath.

He spun around slowly, not wanting to miss a single moment, and — it was just like the stories his father told him.

The land of jewels, the land of his father.

There was a slight burning, searing across his back but Joshua paid it no mind, suddenly enraptured by the sight before him. They were on the top of a hill, a vast land of black, glittering trees and blood-red rubies spreading out below them, as far as his eyes could see. A waterfall gushed to the north, spilling molten lava into a deep pool below before splitting and meandering off into various tributaries that lit the land orange in their afterglow. Flowers sparked and burned into ashes when he picked them from the ground, and when they got close to a stream flowing with the same burning magma of the waterfall, Joshua dipped his feet in without hesitation.

Jeonghan gasped. “Joshua, stop—”

“It doesn’t hurt.” The human laughed, turning to flick some magma at his befuddled lover. “I love it here, Hannie. Thank you so much.”

“But—”

Joshua stepped out of the stream and into his arms, peppering kisses across his face. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you.”

Jeonghan figured he could ask his questions later.

They continued walking along the stream, Joshua stepping into it sometimes as comfortably as if it was water. The temperature was probably in the thousands but it only invigorated Joshua. His father had told him what it would feel like: “Like coming home. You will be so strong there, little lord. On top of the world.”

With Jeonghan’s hands in his and the barely-there stinging of magma around his ankles, Joshua certainly felt it.

Of course, good feelings never last.

“Yoon Jeonghan!” A voice cut through the quiet, one that the prince knew all too well. Jeonghan stiffened, turning around slowly. “Yoon Jeonghan where the _hell_ have you been, Jun’s going to kill me if I lose you again–”

That was when Minghao noticed the other boy. He was watching him with curious, unblinking eyes, neither surprised nor frightened by his appearance. Minghao narrowed his eyes.  “Jeonghan, who’s this?”

“You know very well who,” Jeonghan countered smoothly. There was the distant sound of feet running towards them but the three boys made no move, staring each other down.

Mingyu was the first to arrive, letting out a loud hiss at the sight of Joshua, and Junhui did much the same. Wonwoo remained expressionless but the disapproval was clear in his darkened eyes.

“Why the _fuck_ did you bring a human here?” Jun spat, not meeting Joshua’s eyes. It was rare for Junhui to look so angry — he was frustrated all the time, sure, Jeonghan actions could drive any maternal figure crazy, but he’d never been so _mad_ before. Jeonghan didn’t answer, instead curling an arm protectively around Joshua. The human had been in danger and he told him to bring him here so that was what he did.

He let his thoughts be known to his friends who hissed again in fury but made no move to do anything else.

Wonwoo, ever the calm one, asked, _Will you introduce him to us, Jeonghan?_

In response, Joshua bowed and said, “My name is Joshua Jisoo Hong, former witch and apprentice to the Fire Mage of the Mountain Covens.”

All four demons narrowed their eyes at Joshua’s ability to read thoughts, but Jeonghan only beamed at his lover proudly.

“ _Former_ witch?” Wonwoo picked on instead.

“Well I still have my powers but I’m no longer part of the Mountain Covens, or the Fire Mage’s apprentice anymore.”

“Why? What happened?”

Joshua stared them down haughtily. “I haven’t even told Jeonghan yet so why would I any of _you_?”

“Why you _little—_!” Minghao lurched forward to defend his mate but Jeonghan was there first, hissing protectively in front of Joshua, fangs inches from Minghao’s neck.

“Now, now, let’s not fight.” Surprisingly it was Joshua who broke the standoff, honey-like voice instantly calming Jeonghan who relaxed when he put a hand on the small of his back. Minghao moved back slowly, seeing the change in the prince. “It’s the first time I’m meeting your friends, let’s not break them before we’re all introduced.”

“He tried to hurt you,” was all Jeonghan said.

“At least give me his name.”

“Minghao.” Jeonghan jerked his chin to the other three demons. “Mingyu, Wonwoo, Junhui. They’re my advisors, but they’ve become more like hounds in the past few days.”

“That’s because your father wants to know your _answer_ Jeonghan—”

“Tell him he isn’t getting one!” Jeonghan cut Jun off. The older just sighed, exasperated. “Your coronation is in _three days!_ And now there’s a human witch on our lands…”

Jeonghan hissed and Jun effectively shut up.

“If I don’t get to pick my own betrothed then I will not ascend the throne and Father can deal with that on his own. Minki has always wanted to be king anyway.” Jeonghan turned a deaf ear to his friends’ protests, placing a hand on Joshua’s back. “I’ll be in the woods. Don’t go looking for me.”

Then with a sweep of his arms, Jeonghan and Joshua were gone.

 

* * *

 

Joshua had Jeonghan backed up against a wall the moment the door shut behind them. 

Jeonghan’s desperate moans filled up the room as Joshua took him, tearing him apart and putting back together again, the world feeding his strength and their lust. Jeonghan came with Joshua’s name on his lips, a whisper in a scream, his vision turning black for a moment before it righted itself again. “My angel,” Joshua cooed, same as always, wiping his sweaty bangs from his forehead, “So beautiful, always so beautiful.”

Jeonghan preened at the praise. Joshua cleaned them both up and they cuddled on the couch, too lazy to put their clothes back on. They wouldn’t need clothes for at least a while now if the hunger in Joshua’s gut had anything to say about it.

“What was Junhui talking about?” Joshua asked finally, hands skimming through Jeonghan’s hair. “What decision is your father asking for?”

“He wants to know which of the five demon heirs I’ve chosen to marry.” Joshua growled, fingers tightening in his hair. “Hush now, love. I will marry no one else but you.”

“But that means… You wouldn’t be king.”

“Then so be it. I don’t want to be king if you’re not by my side to rule with me.”

Joshua is quiet for a moment. Suddenly he pulled Jeonghan up, smashing their lips together in a heaty kiss that had Jeonghan’s head spinning. Joshua was possessive, biting down on his lower lip, gripping his hips till they bruised but Jeonghan let him, only moaning in approval. Joshua pulled away, pressing their foreheads together. “Good. I don’t mean to be selfish, Jeonghan, but I’ve spent my whole life having to fight for the things I want and you are the one I will never let go.”

“Don’t,” Jeonghan said.

“I won’t.”

In the comfort of Jeonghan’s cave deep in the land of sins, they could take it slow.

There was no fear of being caught, no rush to put in as many rounds as they could before the sun came up and Jeonghan had to leave in the morning.

Joshua touches him slowly, fingers barely brushing his sensitive skin, up the back of his thighs, hovering over his hips, barely fluttering over his hard nubs. His whimpers drown in kisses, swallowed whole as the human continued his slow exploration of the demon prince’s body.

They never had time like this and Joshua was intent on making use of it.

Jeonghan’s pale skin contrasted beautifully with the obsidian sheets, almost glowing, and Joshua could barely keep his eyes off the demon as he started a slow trail of kisses down his jaw, neck, shoulders, chest.

Jeonghan whimpered, soft and quiet as Joshua’s licked around a nipple, making the human smile. He pushed two fingers between Jeonghan’s lips as he dragged his tongue across to the other nub, the demon sucking obediently on the digits.

His stomach quivered when the human kissed down to his navel, breathy chuckle sending a shiver through his body.

“Stop teasing me,” Jeonghan whined when Joshua does nothing but kiss around his hips.

“How can I, lovely, when you’re looking so beautiful?” Jeonghan groaned but the teasing smirk never left Joshua’s lips as he started kissing up one thigh, a large hand rubbing the other.

The demon trembled beneath him, hips canting up into nothing. Joshua ignored his breathy little moans, the begging for, “ _More, more, more. Please Shua, please”,_ and continued his slow, unyielding pace, loving how the prince shook beneath him, came apart at _his_ touch only.

There’s a gorgeous flush spreading across Jeonghan’s chest, and his dick red and heavy, curved against his stomach.

Joshua laid his head against the demon’s thigh, tongue darting out teasingly to swipe at one of his balls. The demon cried out, writhing desperately. “So beautiful, Hannie. Fucking ethereal. I could ruin you.”

“Please,” Jeonghan breathed. “Please.”

 “Anything for my angel.”

Joshua didn’t wait any longer. He took Jeonghan into his mouth at one go, opening up like an expert and it was Jeonghan who choked, in surprise and on his own moans, as Joshua sucked him off quick and fast, tongue flat against the underside of his dick, hollowing his cheeks as he went back down. He pressed his tongue against the slit and Jeonghan _keens._ He stopped; doing it again not a second later and it leaves Jeonghan thrashing wildly, sobbing into his fist.

Ruined, that’s what he was.

The way they both wanted it.

“Are you going to come?” Joshua asked, surprisingly sweet as he brushed his lover’s hair from his eyes. Jeonghan shook his head stubbornly. Joshua took his cock, pumping it once and he made a small, pitiful noise, body trembling from holding himself back.

Joshua continued the action but Jeonghan only hid his face in his lover’s shoulder, shuddering softly.

“Angel, what’s wrong? Why won’t you come?” He rolled both of them onto their side, kissing Jeonghan’s cheek to get him to look up. There were tears in the demon’s eyes, and not from the stimulation. Joshua was instantly worried. “Jeonghan? What’s wrong?”

“Inside me,” Jeonghan hiccupped, “Only if you’re inside me, just for now. Please, Shua? Please?”

Joshua knew that wasn’t the reason why the demon was so upset, but he complied anyway, kissing his forehead before pushing deep into his lover. Jeonghan did nothing more than gasp, uncharacteristically quiet as Joshua rocked slowly into him.

They had never done it on the side before but it felt more intimate somehow, both on equal ground with their limbs tangled up together — Jeonghan’s arms around his neck, legs around his waist, Joshua’s hand in his hair and on his hip, one leg pressed against his back, pressing them chest to chest — panting hotly into each other’s ears.

Jeonghan was still crying so Joshua did everything he could to make sure it was from the pleasure of their love and not the pain in his heart.

When they finally fell apart, it was more of them falling together.

Jeonghan didn’t let go, even after Joshua pulled out, and the human simply brought him closer. The tears had dried on his cheeks, expression finally at peace in his dreams. Joshua didn’t know what was bothering the prince, but he would find out when they woke up.

For now, he too slipped to sleep.


	5. The Son Come Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tag #SVT_DP!!

There were originally six demon families: the Aerialites; Terrenes; Subterrenes; Heliophobes; Aqueousians; and Empyreals. They were the demons of Air, Earth, Sub-Earth, Darkness, Water and Fire respectively.

The Lords were great and strong and ruled over their territories fairly. There was no in-fighting between the six Lords like there had been before and they were all loyal to the Demon King, the Queen and their newborn son, Prince Jeonghan. The demon world entered a time of relative peace. Families grew. Lost knowledge was found. No one was hungry.

But—

For there is always a ‘but’.

But… One of the great Lords fell, for a pretty girl on the wrong side of the Veil. As history went, they were in love and produced a child, an undernourished little thing that was born feverish and didn’t cry, because the mother had a hard pregnancy and the father, well– The father was a demon, and demon children were thrown into fire when they were first born so he didn’t know what to do.

The union caused a rift between Humans and Demons. The century-long truce between the two species — “Thy shall not take mine, and mine shall not take thine” — had been broken. An unnecessary war broke out between Empyreals and the other families. Humans — pesky, meddling things — got caught in the crossfire.

Eventually, the Lord Empyreal was exiled, gone into hiding with his young wife and child, and any remaining Empyreals supportive of their lord were hunted like game by the humans. For many years he hid, protecting the two loves of his life. The Lord Empyreal was ashamed of his cowardice, letting his people die for him, but for those two glittering set of eyes, one completely human and the other something more, he would gladly spin lies about how everything would be alright.

 The Lord Empyreal is killed and the boy grew up with only misty memories of his father’s face and voice, and his name.

 

* * *

 

Jeonghan woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat.

There were remnants of a night terror clawing at his chest, a man shaking him awake, hands fire-hot even though the night was cold, something about, _his brands, look at his brands…...!_

It all faded away as he took in Joshua’s face, peaceful in the light of the moon.

Jeonghan got up and cleaned himself, letting the cold water wash away last night’s dirt. He stood under the shower until the cooler (because the water was always boiling hot here in Hell) whined out a protest and he shut the tap.

He wrapped himself in a thin robe and shuffled back to bed, not yet curling into Joshua’s side. Instead, he pulled his legs to his chest and thought.

There was much to worry about.

His father’s ultimatum, for one. He knew his friends would stay quiet for another night, but come the morning they would be in his room, forcing an answer of out him themselves if they had to. If he and Joshua were to stay together, they would need to leave soon.

Yet despite all his previous declarations, Jeonghan did care even if just a little. There was trouble brewing in the demon world and he knew that that was one of the reasons why his father was so anxious to marry him off. There had been a shift in the power balance, off-kilter now that there were only five Great Lords instead of six, and the Demon King was hoping to bridge it with this union.

But Jeonghan took one long look at Joshua and crumbled.

He couldn’t do it.

He couldn’t leave this man behind. Not for name, not for country.

Joshua Jisoo Hong was his whole world and Hell could freeze over for all Jeonghan cared.

He reached out to his lover, brushing his fingers across his cheeks, and Joshua burrowed into his touch. He smiled softly.

Jeonghan’s hand played with the boy’s hair and then traced his features, mind preoccupied. Soft brows, high nose, sharp cheekbones, pretty lips. He kissed them gently. He let his fingers wander absentmindedly down his lover’s neck. Broad shoulders, strong arms, smooth… back?

Jeonghan did a double-take. What?

He brought his hand down Joshua’s back again and sure enough, what used to be a long expanse of flawless skin now felt ridged and bumpy, flesh giving way between his fingers with applied pressure. He didn’t scratch him _that_ hard last night, did he?

But Joshua made no indication that it hurt, lip twitching only slightly as if it tickled, and Jeonghan was flabbergasted.

What in the world…

He got up slowly, almost afraid of what he might find across his lover’s back.

Jeonghan’s eyes widened when he saw them.

Three perfect circles in a line running down his spine, twisting and turning into each other as vines and roots grew out from the centre and reached outwards. The vines skittered away when he touched them, wary of the Demon Prince. There was no denying it. Brands. Demon brands.

The first for power source, the second for family, the third for speciality.

The first one Jeonghan could read easily enough; it was of embers, overflowing from a cauldron and forming a pool. He thought about how Joshua could step easily into the molten magma; how he seemed to rejuvenate even, in the heat of their glow.

The third brand was hidden beneath some vines but they curled away at Jeonghan’s prodding. It was simple: four overlapping triangles, coloured black in the centre. Jeonghan studied enough runes to know it meant magic.

But the second… Jeonghan was almost too afraid to uncover them, hidden so thickly beneath gnarly, thorned vines that didn’t shy away from his touch, unlike the others. In fact, they seemed to fight back, growing thicker the harder he pushed and only Demonspeak, the language of royalty, made them give way. He gasped.

“Joshua, Joshua wake up,” he grabbed his lover’s shoulders, shaking him awake, “Joshua you need to wake up, _right now.”_

“W-what?” Joshua yawned, “Jeonghan? What time is it, why are you—”

He pulled the human up, forcing him to sit upright. “Joshua, love, tell me honestly. What is your name?”

He stiffened at the question. “Joshua…”

“I don’t know why you’re asking this when you already know it—”

**_“In the name of His Highness, Demon Prince Yoon Jeonghan, High Lord of Seven Realms and heir to the Throne, what is your name?”_ **

**_“Joshua Jisoo Hong Empyreal, your Highness,”_** Joshua bowed his head, **_“Son of Lost Lord Empyreal.”_**

 

* * *

 

It was like they were in a trance and Jeonghan broke first.

He legs crumbled and he flung himself into Joshua’s arms. “My Shua,” he sobbed, delirious and ecstatic, “Mine mine mine. My Shua, my beautiful boy.”

“What just happened? What did I say?” Joshua, on the other hand, was completely shocked. “I could feel myself speaking but not hear the words. It was like something had taken over my body.”

Jeonghan just beamed. “It doesn’t matter, everything’s okay.”

“What are you talking about?”

Jeonghan just bent down to kiss his lover, laying his head in the crook of his neck. “You’re the answer to all our problems, Shua. The lost son, come home.”

“Will you ever explain to me what you’re mumbling about?”

Jeonghan chuckled, pressing his lips against the boy’s neck. He was so immensely happy. “Later. For now… I love you.”

“Where is this coming from?”

Jeonghan lifted his head, pouting. “Tell me you love me too.”

“Of course I do.” Joshua kissed his nose, then forehead, then lips. A giggle bubbled from Jeonghan’s lips. “I love you Jeonghan, my angel mine.”

“Then that is all I need.”


	6. And Finally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things come to an end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the long wait! As always, tag #SVT_DP if you're live-tweeting ^^ (Also, there's a little announcement for a fic fest at the end hehe) Anyway, enjoy~

Jeonghan's in a white suit.

The coat's speckled with a billion tiny pearls, and pure crusted diamonds picked fresh from the royal trees line the collar. It’s so clean it glows and even a single speck of dust would've been obvious against it. He would rather have worn the inverted image of this one ㅡ jet-black with obsidian and onyx details ㅡ but Joshua insisted.

Jeonghan couldn't be sure if the younger's intention were entirely pure, but Joshua looked nicer in the coal suit anyway.

It made him look leaner, meaner.

In the pocket of both suits, there's a single blood rose, joining the ensemble together.

Jeonghan beamed at his reﬂection.

"Ready?" Mingyu asked by his shoulder.

"Isn't that a little cliche? The protagonist always gets asked whether they're ready for their own wedding." Jeonghan scrunched his nose and Wonwoo chuckled.

"Well are you?"

"Are you kidding? I was ready _yesterday.”_

"Okay yeah yeah we get it, you guys went through a lot to make this marriage possible, yada-yada-yada," Minghao huffed his annoyance while Jun simply got off the couch and came to stand by Jeonghan, "Let’s just go before Jeonghan tells us this story again for the million-and- _oneth_ time."

"Hey! It's worth being _toldㅡ"_

Mingyu laughed, massaging his shoulders to get him to loosen up. “Don’t worry about it, Han. Minghao’s just jealous he doesn’t get a cool a love story tooㅡ”

“Shut up you beanpole!” Minghao chucked a cushion at said boy which in turn set Mingyu off to do the same as Jun tried to calm them down ㅡ  “now, now, children, let’s not fight”; “who’re you calling a kid!” ㅡ while Wonwoo just stood from the sidelines, watching on tiredly.

“You know,” Jeonghan’s voice cut above their bickering, “The least you guys could do is be a bit more remorseful seeing as how none of you helped Joshua and I _at all_."

Mingyu pouted up at the prince. “We already said we were sorry.”

“And we knew you had it covered anyway,” Wonwoo spoke up, Minghao nodding along, “The both of you are so smart you didn’t need our help.”

Jeonghan was unconvinced but turned his gaze onto Jun. “What about you? What’s your excuse?”

Jun smiled sweetly. “I believe that love always prevails. And it did!”

“No thanks to you!” Minghao shot another pillow at the eldest boy.

“HEY I wasn’t the one _rushing_ to find Jeonghan that dayㅡ”

As much as Jeonghan loved to see his friends squabble ㅡ it was entertaining, really, because they all acted like they hated each other when in fact they loved each other to bits ㅡ there was something much more important on his mind.

He let out one long, loud whistle. Instantly, the room quietened. "PEOPLE! WE HAVE A WEDDING TO GET TO!"

 

* * *

 

Jeonghan couldn't help but grin all the way to the throne room, where the ceremony was being held. Soon he would be both king of throne and heart and he was _bursting_ with excitement.

“Jeonghan calm down, you’ll jump right out of your shoes,” Jun scolded.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, but Jeonghan wasn’t, not really.

It had all been Joshua's idea.

They had cornered the king in the dead land, the place where Empyreals once lived and worked and loved, and presented him with an offer he couldn't ㅡ literally  _could not ㅡ_  refuse.

"Jeonghan," the king's voice broke the eerie silence, resounding once and then straight into nothing, "Weeks you've been running from me and suddenly you call to meet? Have you made up your mind?"

Jeonghan bowed at his father's feet. "Yes, your Majesty. I have."

"Good." Jeonghan smirked at the king's overconﬁdence. "Who is it?"

The demon Prince rose to his feet, mirth dancing in his eyes. "Joshua Jisoo Hong Empyreal, my King. It is he who I chose.”

At his words a ring of ﬂames lit up the ground, slithering towards them, before coiling into a mini cyclone that burst to reveal Joshua himself. The witch bowed. "Joshua Hong at your service, your Majesty."

It was a little flamboyant actually and Jeonghan couldn’t help but roll his eyes. _Drama queen._

The King hissed, stepping backwards. Joshua's ﬂames didn't let him go very far. "Who is this! You know we don't speak of that name any longer!"

Joshua's face turned dark. "You will if you don't want the whole demon world to turn to ash."

He set the dead land aflame once again, making sure to push them past the boundaries that had been made when the Empyreal line was banished. “The dead land stops there because you ordered the magicians to demarcate that line but I can easily undo it if I wish.”

“Fool! Our people taught the magicians all they knew!” The King’s words were an eerie echo of what Jeonghan had told Joshua so long ago, and the witch simply smirked.

“You forget, King, that it is the Empyreal line with magic in its bones.” Joshua flicked a finger, just slightly, and the wall of flames rose to the skies. “And _I_ am its last remaining survivor. _The_ Lord Empyreal.”

Joshua snapped his fingers. The flames flared, flushed, growing into an inferno around them but only Jeonghan and Joshua remained safe while red-hot embers licked at the demon king’s back, forcing him forward. The fire followed, however, unrelenting, until even the Demon King, Father of Torture and Suffering, was hissing out in pain.

Joshua’s smirk only grew.

“So you see, father,” Jeonghan started sweetly, “You have very little choice in the matter. Induce Empyreals back into the court, let us marry and rule, or Hell will be no more.”

“You  _dare_ destroy your own people?” the king roared.

“Civilisations have collapsed for less.” Jeonghan shrugged. “Demons are creatures of chaos, are we not? So let chaos reign.”

The demon king was livid, clear in the heat of his eyes but Joshua’s fires were infinitely stronger. And unlike the king, Joshua never once faltered from fear or uncertainty.

 _I’ve spent my whole life having to fight for the things I want,_ Joshua had once said. Jeonghan was starting to see what he meant.

“This will solve all your problems, father,” Jeonghan continued to coax, “It will solve the power balance, you would have a mighty demon heir and witch in the royal family, and I would ascend as King quietly, no complaints, no questions asked.”

“There is no use for a king if he’s willing to burn his own lands for a traitor!”

The orange flames turned white-hot, burning the king who cried out in pain. Jeonghan simply looked on darkly. “As long as Joshua is by my side I will be the ruler this land deserves.”

The king hissed, turning his dark eyes onto Joshua this time. “You’ve made a rebel out of my son, witch. Insolent to his father. Reckless and irresponsible. Uncaring for anything but his own desires.”

Joshua shrugged. “I’ve simply made him a better demon.”

The king blinked. Then he curled a single lip up wryly. “I suppose.”

The stare down went on for a minute more. But then the king straightened up and there was something like a switch in his eyes. The flames have toned down the mild levels, dancing around their hips like tall grass on a summer day. It seemed they had come to a stalemate. Jeonghan scarcely dared breathe.

“Look into my eyes,” the king commanded. Joshua did as he was told. _**"W**_ ** _ **ith** the power bestowed within me, I command you to speak the truth and only truth. Who are you and where do you come from, stranger?”_ **

**_“I am Joshua Jisoo Hong Empyreal, son of Lost Lord Jeremiah Empyreal and former witch Leah Hong. I was once apprenticed to the Fire Mage of the Mountain Covens and hail from Mount Quartz.”_ **

These all transpired in Demonspeak. Then the king asked him to get on his knees and open his mouth. From beneath the folds of his robe, the king procured a single blood ruby. He placed the jewel on Joshua’s tongue. On instinct alone, he swallowed it.

The ruby’s glow emitted outwards, tracking its path down Joshua’s throat, through his chest and finally settling at the bottom of his gut. Suddenly it burst into a thousand million pieces, scattering through his body and settling in his veins. They pulsed and glowed, before ceasing completely.

The king’s voice is gruff. “Rise, new Lord Empyreal. Reclaim your seat amongst the demons.”

A sharp pain slashed across Jeonghan’s back. He could literally feel it ㅡ the circle where the Empyreal brand once was re-carving itself into his skin, every etch a sharp lick of pain, every vine growing from the centre out like a million fire ants eating their way through his flesh. Joshua rushed forward to his lover but the king stopped him.

The brand finished forming.

Jeonghan couldn’t see it but he could feel it; the brand humming and beating, strangely in time with Joshua’s heart. Curiously enough, there was were two thick vines that had grown from his back and to the front, curling around him almost protectively and stopping just above his left chest, where his heart was.

His eyes flickered to Joshua. “Are these…?”

In response, Joshua took three giant steps forward and wrapped his arms around the prince. He held him so tight that Jeonghan could hardly breathe.

“You’re the king of my heart Hannie,” Joshua murmured, “The only thing I need. My whole world.”

The vines above his chest hummed in agreement. Jeonghan burst out crying.

Joshua laughed. “You’re a real wimp for a demon, you know that?”

“Shut up!” Jeonghan wailed, burying his face in the younger’s chest, “You just say _the softest_ things!”

The king coughed to the side. Jeonghan didn’t look up from Joshua’s chest ㅡ he couldn’t, not with the embarrassment of the moment colouring his face red ㅡ but  Joshua met the king’s gaze levelly over Jeonghan’s head.

They nodded at each other.

“You have my blessing,” the king said. Then he was gone in a cloud of dust.

They were silent for two, three, four beats.

“We did it,” Jeonghan breathed, eyes shining and looking so beautiful Joshua couldn’t _not_ kiss him right there and then. The land beneath them was no longer cold and black, but warm and pulsed in time with Joshua’s heartbeat. “Yes we did, my love.” Joshua’s laugh rumbled through his whole body. “We did, and you are mine.”

“I am yours,” Jeonghan agreed. 

 

* * *

 

So that was how the story went.

Days after that Jeonghan still couldn’t believe his luck.

He got to wake up to Joshua’s sleeping face every morning, and fall asleep with that same smile. There were nights he was so afraid it was all a dream that he curled full-bodied around the witch and didn’t want to let go even when he woke up.

Joshua would just laugh and let the prince cling to him like a koala, carrying him around on his back if needed. But eventually, he realized the Empyreal brand on his back was _real_. It was sentient and alive and moving, and it was not going anywhere soon. Not if either Jeonghan or Joshua had a say about it.

“My love,” Joshua would say every night as they made love. “My love.”

“Yes,” is Jeonghan breathy replies. “Yours. Only you.”

And soon, for forever.

 

* * *

 

The great doors open. The court rose to its feet.

Somewhere far away, the court crier announced their entrance. “Rise for your highness Prince Yoon Jeonghan, and his advisors Wen Junhui, Jeon Wonwoo, Kim Mingyu and Xu Minghao.”

They walked down the aisle single file: Prince Yoon Jeonghan in his full white suit; Wen Junhui, Head of Home Affairs, in a light grey ensemble; Jeon Wonwoo, Historian and Military Strategist, wearing dark green; Kim Mingyu, Court Ambassador, in a dark purple; and finally Xu Minghao, Head of Military in dark red.

First was the coronation.

It was boring stuff; lots of rune recitation and blood sacrifices as one by one, Jeonghan’s four advisors and Jeonghan himself were sworn and induced into their official roles. Jeonghan would really have liked to just skip over that part and get to the wedding already but the deal was he had to ascend as King first so he sucked it up and let the Elders proceed with the ceremony. Finally, the head Elder placed a heavy crown on his head. “Rise for your new High King Yoon Jeonghan!”

The crowd clapped. His father placed a warm palm on his back; Jeonghan flushed at the heat as all the power the old king once held now flowed through his hand and into Jeonghan’s veins. The coronation was complete.

“And now rise for the royal wedding!”

_Finally._

It felt like ages before Joshua came through the great doors.

When he did, Jeonghan’s breath caught. He was gorgeous, fucking _ethereal._ There’s black kohl around his eyes and his dark hair’s gelled up, a small piece falling just above his left brow. He looked mean, and powerful.

Jeonghan knew the court noticed too. Added to the mystery of Joshua’s origins and the rumours that have no doubt spread like wildfire over the past few weeks, there were plenty of blatant whispers and stares as he walked down the aisle, incredibly dazzling yet unaccompanied.

Jeonghan puffed with pride. It was alright if they stare. Because he knew that only _he_ got to touch.

Joshua strode up the steps confidently, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. Jeonghan suddenly felt shy and small next to him. Inadequate, for some reason.

Joshua took one of his hands and brushed his lips against the tips.

“Hello, beautiful,” Joshua murmured. Jeonghan flushed anew with confidence.

The rest of the ceremony is a blur. Verses are spoken, more runes recited, but all Jeonghan could feel was the warmth of Joshua’s hand surrounding his, never faltering, never leaving and reminded him of those nights so many months ago with Joshua’s hand on the small of his back, always, as he took him to oblivion and beyond.

 _This hand is mine, this man is mine, his heart is mine_. And Jeonghan was as much Joshua’s as Joshua was Jeonghan’s.

“Rise, High King Yoon Jeonghan, and his husband, the King Consort and Lord Empyreal, Joshua Jisoo Hong Empyreal.”

They rise to their feet and face the crowd; tall, mean, beautiful.

The court clapped. The ground shook. Around them, the coloured lights of all seven fully restored demon lines ㅡ including the royal family ㅡ set fireworks into the sky. Jeonghan’s heart had never felt so happy, so _full_.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **THE END**
> 
> This piece was inspired by [this](http://prince-josh.tumblr.com/post/161454633265/joshsua-%E1%B4%85%E1%B4%87%E1%B4%8D%E1%B4%8F%C9%B4-%E1%B4%98%CA%80%C9%AA%C9%B4%E1%B4%84%E1%B4%87-%E1%B4%80%E1%B4%9C-%E1%B4%8A%C9%AA%CA%9C%E1%B4%80%C9%B4-for-jeongahn) post on Tumblr.
> 
> Thank you so much for everyone's love and support on this fic! It never was meant to be fully formed, have any type of smut, or be six chapters long, but the urge to at least complete the prompt drove it to what it is now and I'm very glad I did. To Jihanators GC, thank you?? For feeding my Jihan needs and helping out on little bits here and there?? Uhhh to @RIPlonghairYJH (rip I forgot your name) THANK YOU for being supporter number one!! Even when no else was reading this!! Thank you!  
> 
> 
> **ANNOUNCEMENT**
> 
> @SVT95NET on Tumblr and Twitter is organizing a 95line MONTH where content pieces (including fics, fanart, gfx, edits, etc.) will be produced and celebrated for the entire month of May! There is a prompt for every week and the details have been released [_here_](https://twitter.com/SVT95NET/status/981125795144876034). There will be a lucky draw for participants at the end of the month. We hope many people will participate! Thank you soooo much.


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